Student Financial Aid
The primary purpose of the student financial aid program at Halifax Community College
is to provide assistance to students who, without aid, would be unable to continue their
education. Through a program of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment, students
enrolled at Halifax Community College are able to supplement their own resources and
those of their family to complete a course of study. The primary responsibility for financing
the student’s education rests with the family. The family is expected to contribute
according to its income and assets, just as the student is expected to contribute to
educational costs.

Priority Dates
In order to provide adequate time for processing and awarding financial aid prior to class
starting, priority dates are identified for each semester. If you submit your financial aid
application after the established priority dates, you must be prepared to pay for tuition,
fees, and books. Your award notification will be mailed in approximately one week once
your file is complete.

General Student Eligibility Criteria
Students must be accepted for admission to the College before any action can be taken
on their application for financial assistance, including grants, scholarships, student
employment, or loans. A student must meet the following eligibility requirements to
receive federal assistance.

-Have a high school diploma or GED

-Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program

-Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

-Have a valid social security number

-Be registered with the Selective Service Adminstration (males only)

-Not be in default on a Title IV loan

-Not owe a repayment on a Title IV grant or loan at any educational institution

-Maintain satisfactory academic progress

-Not be enrolled concurrently in an elementary or secondary school

-A federal or state drug conviction may disqualify a student for Title IV funds

-Incarcerated students are ineligible for Title IV funding

How to Apply/Application Process
On an annual basis, students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). Students may apply in one of two ways; using the paper FAFSA or apply
electronically via FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For faster processing, students
applying on the web should first apply for a federal pin number at www.pin.ed.gov,
though it is not required. The federal pin number is used as your signature when applying
electronically.

The financial aid award year runs from July 1st to June 30th. Applications for the upcoming
school year are available in the Financial Aid Office after January 1st. Students are required
to complete an application for financial aid each year. If web access is unavailable, one can
utilize the computers in the Financial Aid Lab to complete and transmit your application.

Please include Halifax Community College’s Title IV Code #007986 and address on the
FAFSA. The US Department of Education’s number to call concerning application status,
requesting a duplicate student aid report, or adding another college is 1.800.4FED.AID.

A Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to the student once the FAFSA is submitted and
processed. Applicants should review the SAR carefully and make all corrections. If no
corrections are necessary, the SAR should be retained and financial aid will be awarded
based on this information. The Financial Aid Office will receive the student’s record
electronically from the federal processor.

Verification
The Financial Aid Office is required by the U.S. Department of Education to verify files for
applicants selected for verification by the Processor. In addition, the Financial Aid Office
reserves the right to request verification of additional applicants with questionable or
conflicting information. The verification process requires the following:

- an IRS-issued transcript of the student’s, spouse’s, and/or parent’s (whichever
is applicable) federal tax returns and a copy of wage statements (W-2);

- a signed Verification Worksheet (obtained from the Financial Aid Office).

All documentation must be received before awards can be finalized. Document tracking
letters are sent requesting all necessary verification documents be submitted to the
Financial Aid Office within two weeks.

Special Circumstances
If the student and/or family have unusual or extenuating circumstances that are not
reflected on the FAFSA, he or she should contact the Financial Aid Office. Supporting
documentation is required.